Manoel Sousa sees bright future in lightweight division after UFC win
DWCS 79 winner Manoel Sousa talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters after being awarded a UFC contract for his third-round TKO victory.
LAS VEGAS – Manoel Sousa’s job interview on Dana White’s Contender Series wasn’t the typical contract-earning performance.
More often than not, UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers are impressed by fighters who show a certain level of dominance from beginning to end. However, Sousa (13-1) proved something else: that he can weather a storm, and still finish the fight.
Cristian Perez gave Sousa hell for the first two rounds with a smothering ground game. Sousa stayed calm, stuck to his gameplan, and eventually found a way to light up Perez on the feet in the final round to get an impressive finish.
“This was an absolute dog fight,” White said to Sousa on the DWCS 79 broadcast as he announced him as a contract winner. “You had an incredible comeback. You’re built like a tank. When people take you down, it’s hard to get position on you. You kept going for that kimura, kept this guy working and busy. Obviously, your goal was to get up on your feet and stand up and do what you did in the third round. You implemented your gameplan, you looked great doing it, and get over here. Congratulations.”
Even though he was down early, Sousa was never short on confidence thanks to his corner. In fact, he also says he enjoyed being in the type of fight that tested his resolve. Now, it’s about bringing his skills to the UFC’s lightweight division, which has been one of the most consistently competitive divisions in the sport.
“After the first round, we knew,” Sousa told reporters through an interpreter during a post-fight news conference. “The corner said it, and I knew too. I’m very experienced. I knew he had won the round, taken the first round. That’s what my corner told me. Those guys gave me the confidence. When they said, ‘Listen, you come back now, second round. Keep the fight standing, and you’re gonna take this one. That’s what you do, this is the strategy.’
“… I kind of got tired in the second round, but then when I came back in the third round, those guys again, they just said, ‘Listen, this is your time. The fight’s yours. This is your moment. You go out there and you get it.'”
